Do people still use "Phone Jacks"? (smartphone, protector, printer)
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The landlines are pathetic where I live. Always static and outages 2 or three times a year. I have no phone jacks in my home.
I'm attempting yet AGAIN to install my all-in-one fax/scanner/printer. The instructions specifically mention to install into a PHONE JACK! WTH. My house is 100 years old and even IT does not have any. Did they just rip them out at some point or cover them up with drywall? How many homes still have the simple phone jack in their homes? Mine appears to have ZERO. I just found a "phone jack", but it looks like it was overtaken by the computer internet connection. I plugged my phone plug into one of the pieces that connects to the remade jack. I hope that it works.
Last edited by Hopeful for Life; 09-10-2019 at 08:48 PM..
My 1970’s era house had phone jacks all over the place. As I have painted and done minor remodels to the house I have been pulling them out and patching the holes. There might still be one in a spare room somewhere, buton,y because I haven’t gotten to it.
I haven’t used copper wire phone service since 2002. I am surprised that you have a multifunction device that requires a phone jack (RJ11). It is far more likely that your printer needs an RJ45 Ethernet jack, which is entirely different. You need to find a way to get the printer hooked up to your router.
I'm attempting yet AGAIN to install my all-in-one fax/scanner/printer. The instructions specifically mention to install into a PHONE JACK! WTH. My house is 100 years old and even IT does not have any. Did they just rip them out at some point or cover them up with drywall? How many homes still have the simple phone jack in their homes? Mine appears to have ZERO. I just found a "phone jack", but it looks like it was overtaken by the computer internet connection. I plugged my phone plug into one of the pieces that connects to the remade jack. I hope that it works.
But unless you actually are looking to use the fax functionality, you don't need to plug the phone jack in. Just use the ethernet jack to connect it to your network (or skip that and connect it via wifi).
Most places will have other options as opposed to using a fax machine (email, file sharing, etc.).
Phone jacks still have their use. It allows you to use older phones. Even if you are now on a VoIP subscription (no POTS service), you just need to plug your ATA or SIP router to one of your phone jacks. This will make all of your phone jacks live (as long as they all terminate to the same line).
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NightBazaar
Right. There has to be at least one phone jack. We have a single phone jack at our house. For any of our cordless landline phones, the base has to be connected to the jack for phone service and to recharge the cordless units. I could be wrong, but I've never seen any cordless systems that don't use a base connected to a phone jack. We have a duplex plugged into a single wall jack so we can use one side for the phone and the other for internet access at home.
No, there is no need for any phone jacks on any walls. Our cordless base is plugged directly into the into jack on the cable modem/router. If you wanted to use corded phones, a phone cable would go from the modem to the wall then the other wall outlets would be live, if there are any. Our house is older (1980) but we took them all out.
True, but the one jack doesn't have to be installed in the house, and that's what the OP was asking about. The wired data (or telephone) port can be provided on the modem from the Internet provider. It is no longer necessary to install any wired ports in the home, although it might be tidier to do so, if one has an aversion to cable clutter.
You can plug a DECT 6.0 into the jack in your telephony modem to get a VOIP signal and operate up to a dozen handsets around the home where each handset is plugged into a power outlet.
I'm attempting yet AGAIN to install my all-in-one fax/scanner/printer. The instructions specifically mention to install into a PHONE JACK! WTH. My house is 100 years old and even IT does not have any. Did they just rip them out at some point or cover them up with drywall? How many homes still have the simple phone jack in their homes? Mine appears to have ZERO. I just found a "phone jack", but it looks like it was overtaken by the computer internet connection. I plugged my phone plug into one of the pieces that connects to the remade jack. I hope that it works.
I hate to ask this question but what kind of phone service do you have? Do you have internet or not?
The “phone jack” had a metal screw looking thing coming out of it which connected to the modem. The modem had a PHONE LINE socket which I used to plug the fax “phone cord” into- Solution Found.
No, there is no need for any phone jacks on any walls. Our cordless base is plugged directly into the into jack on the cable modem/router. If you wanted to use corded phones, a phone cable would go from the modem to the wall then the other wall outlets would be live, if there are any. Our house is older (1980) but we took them all out.
Okay, I get what you're saying. Still, as you said, something must be going into an outlet in the wall, it's just not a typical phone jack. What's what's modem/router connected to? A cable jack? Satellite dish? Something else? I understand you had all jacks taken out. The modem/router doesn't need to be plugged into anything?
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